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Islanzadí was similar in appearance to her daughter Arya, with Raven-black hair and stunning beauty. Eragon noted that she was the model for some of the art in his home in Ellesméra. She was famous for wearing a red tunic and a mantle made of Swan feathers, though in Brisingr, when Eragon contacted her, she wore lustrous GoldenArmor during times of war. Eragon also noted that Islanzadí was erratic and very judgmental and that if he was forced to choose a leader to follow, Islanzadí would not be his first choice.

After Arya pledged herself to serving Alagaësia and the Varden, the relationship between Islanzadí and Arya was strained, even to the point where she banned Arya from her presence. Though they made up when Arya returned with Eragon to Ellesméra, they had not been on good terms for over seventy years.

When her daughter vanished at the edge of Du Weldenvarden while transporting Saphira's egg, Islanzadí withdrew her support to the Varden due to depression. When Arya returned, Islanzadí used the pressure of all the watching aristocrats to manipulate Arya into publicly forgiving her.

Islanzadí later joined with the Varden and was involved in the capture of Gil'ead. However, she died in combat at Urû'baen when she was overpowered by Barst, an Eldunarí-fuelled Imperiallord. Before she died, she cursed Barst, but what she cursed him with or why is unknown. Arya was chosen to succeed her by the elves.

There are several similarities between Islanzadí and J. R. R. Tolkien's character Galadriel: Both are elven women, both rule a forest kingdom, both are more prominent in the stories than their husband/mate and both are related to a central character's love interest (Islanzadí being Arya's mother, Galadriel being Arwen's grandmother in The Lord of the Rings). Islanzadí's gifts to Eragon are also similar to Galadriel's gifts to the members of the Fellowship of the Ring. Also, Islanzadí made a statement similar to Galadriel when she said, "I am diminished" after Oromis chided her for not scrying the land as was her duty.